Community can be for police and reform
APD has undergone major reconstruction; demonizing police just fuels cycle of mistrust
As we continue to demonize one another because of which version of news we’re getting or who we know, remember we can hold contradictory truths simultaneously. Consider comparing our police involvement in Black Lives Matter protests to other cities.
I have spent the last two weeks listening to and amplifying black voices as we fight to dismantle inherently broken systems. We’re witnessing the start of radical and much-needed change. But with the growing hostility toward Albuquerque’s officers, I wanted to offer some insight from my experience as a clinical social worker working alongside them. In times like these, it’s really hard to see the humanity in the “other,” but our humanity is inextricably bound up in one another’s.
My privilege has always protected me, but I’m well aware of the myriad ways the color of your skin can affect how you are treated, and so I was always apprehensive of law enforcement. I assumed there was an ego, power-driven motive that drew people to the field, and power corrupts when it isn’t checked. To challenge my prejudice, I joined the Mobile Crisis Team responding to mental health-related 911 calls.
Working with APD and people in all kinds of crises has put me in an unusual space. To my surprise, some of the individuals I respect most now are police. Officers are enraged and heartbroken about George Floyd and Breonna Taylor’s killings. They support the protests and are truly only out on the sidelines to ensure everyone can safely protest in solidarity. Yes, they look militant, but they’re meant to serve as barriers, sometimes between polarized protesters or between people and traffic.
On May 28, the only reason tear gas was dropped was because protesters were throwing rocks at police who were trying to retreat. And those officers were only on scene because a sergeant was surrounded, her unit was smashed, and to intercept a vehicle of people shooting off rounds to incite violence. We don’t like highlighting those details because it doesn’t contribute to the narrative we’re trying to portray. There’s so much nuance to how and why APD responds the way it does.
APD hasn’t always been what it is today. It historically used excessive force and really horrific things have resulted, so it’s undergone major reconstruction with the help of the Department of Justice. It now has one of the most extensive crisis intervention trainings in the nation. It doesn’t claim faultlessness, but it is engaged in the necessary work of unlearning and relearning to better protect and serve our community. Because we cannot afford to have “bad apples” in positions of power, it has emphasized accountability and transparency through departments like Internal Affairs, whose sole role is to evaluate and investigate officers.
APD will use every jail-diversion tactic it can, meaning only the most violent incidents result in arrest. And all the use-offorce statistics? Consider that handcuffing someone resisting arrest can be considered a use of force.
Demonizing police has resulted in officers being attacked, which just fuels the cycle of mutual mistrust and hyper-vigilance. They’re scared too. And no, it’s not the same: Different risks come with prejudice and burnout when someone is armed and holds the power of a badge. It’s critical to weed out officers who aren’t willing to do the grueling work to transform systems that disproportionately harm and end black lives.
I listen to calls being dispatched every day that paint a rather bleak picture of our city. Many of the disturbances stem from intersecting, systemic issues. I wholeheartedly support implementing more non-law enforcement alternatives, because frankly, we put too much pressure on cops to fix everything. You say abolishing APD is going to bring peace, but with everything I’ve seen, we need the police. And in the same breath, we need to demand justice. It can be both. It’s easier to hate, but the only way forward is together.